We recently delivered a Beadwork Inspired Dot Art Workshop to Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) employees at Mādahòkì Farm. It was a beautiful day of learning, creativity, and connection.
The workshop took place outside on their porch, surrounded by nature, with traditional fiddle music playing softly in the background. The setting helped create a calm and welcoming space where participants could slow down, focus, and enjoy the process of making art together.
We opened the workshop in a good way, with a prayer and a teaching from Elder Parm Burgie. This reminded us that art is not just about technique, it is also about culture, story, and respect for where these teachings come from.
We talked about the history of dot art, an artform that uses small dots of paint to build detailed patterns and images. For the purpose of this workshop, we focused on floral designs inspired by prairie flowers and by Métis floral beadwork from the Homeland. Each dot of paint represents a bead, showing how this contemporary art form can reflect traditional practices.
After the introduction, we moved into hands-on learning. Most of our time was spent practicing the basics of dot art. We guided participants showing how to build patterns, layer colours, and create balance in their designs. It was exciting to see everyone find their own style as their paintings began to take shape. By the end of the workshop, everyone had created their own beadwork-inspired dot art piece to take home. Each painting was unique and reflected the care and creativity that went into it.
Workshops like this are important to us. They bring together art, culture, and community in a way that feels accessible and meaningful. We are grateful to everyone who joined us and shared in this experience.
If you would like to attend a future workshop, collaborate, or support our work, please reach out, follow along, and share what we do.
